Barriers to Effective Listening

2. Barriers to Effective Listening By Addis Debsai 2011

3. Barriers to Effective Listening In the listening process there are many things inhibiting us from listening. In any situation, barriers prevent effective listening if they aren’t understood and a managed.

4. I’M NOT LISTENINGThis was ME, BEFORE I …..

5. The most Common Barriers to Effective Listening • Noise • Information overload • Closed-mindedness • Distractions • Pseudolistening and Selective Attention • Mind wandering • Treating discussion as competition

6. Noise surrounds us When you are surrounded by distractions you have to work hard to pay attention to the speaker. http://elenaoren.efoliomn

7. Information Overload This is a situation in which a huge amount of information that we get in our daily life is too much for us to take in. “In fact, researchers have estimated that the average U.S American is exposed to between 600 and 625 advertising messaged each day.”(Floyd,2009,p272)

8. Closed-mindedness People who are stubborn and don’t want to hear someone else’s opinion are guilty of being close-minded, another barrier that stops a person from effective listening . Politics and religion are two areas where many people have a set mind on and are not willing to entertain another persons reasons for feeling the way they do about particular issue.

9. Distractions We get distracted by what is going on outside (our surroundings) And inside ourselves. What’s outside that distracts us while trying to listen to someone Noises, temperature, or what other people are saying or doing. What’s inside that distracts us from listening to someone? Thoughts, Thoughts and more thoughts. Thoughts as memories, judgment, Opinions, expectations, worries, fears, Even thoughts about thoughts. http://www.people-communicating.com/barriers-to-effective-listening.html

10. Pseudolistening & Selective Attention Pseudolistening used feedback behaviors to give the false impression that one is listening. Selective attention listening only to what you want to hear. floyd.p271

11. Treating discussion as competition Some people feel that agreeing with the speaker during a heated discussion is a sign of weakness, they feel compelled to challenge every point the speaker makes, even if they inwardly agree. http://www.sklalch.net

12. There are many ways to improve listening skills • Provide clues that you are actively involved • Concentrate • Refrain from formulating an immediate response • Try to prepare beforehand • Be prepared to accept revisions • Be sure the environment is conducive to listening

13. Avoid Barriers Sounds and visual images can be distractions that detract from your ability to listen effectively.Use eye contact and listening body language. Avoid looking at your watch or at other people or activities.

14. HURIER Model of Effective Listening • Hearing Physically perceiving sound • UnderstandingComprehending the words we have heard • RememberingStoring ideas in memory • Interpreting Assigning meaning to what we've heard • Evaluating Judging the speaker’s credibility and intention • Responding Indicating that we are listening (Kory Floyd p267)

15. Becoming a Better Listener Much silence makes a powerful noise -African proverb (Kory Floyd p277)

16. References Floyd, 2009, p272, p277, p267, p271 and p272 http://www.sklalch.net http://www.people-communicating.com/barriers-to-effective-listening.html http://elenaoren.efoliomn http://elenaoren.efoliomn

17. The End